Security of articles, goods, vehicles or premises

ABSTRACT

A method is disclosed for detecting tampering, comprising applying to at least a portion of a surface of an object a composition comprising at least one fluorescent material and a solvent medium for the fluorescent material, the solvent medium containing a volatile solvent, and the composition being colorless, odorless and having no feel upon application as a film to the surface of the object, and being capable of transfer from the surface of the object to another surface; and directly transferring the composition from the object to a person tampering with the object.

This application is a 371 of PCT/GB91/01697 filed Oct. 2, 1991.

The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to thesecurity of articles, goods, vehicles or premises. More particularly,the present invention provides a composition and method for theprevention of those acts listed hereunder utilising a combination ofdeterrence and also identification of those involved in:

a) Unauthorised removal of articles or goods including cash fromvehicles, buildings and/or premises,

b) Vandalism of articles, goods, buildings and/or premises.

c) Unauthorised entry into restricted areas.

d) Acts, possibly violent, by groups or organisations against state,military, police or public property or personnel.

Unauthorised removal or stealing of articles or goods is an increasingproblem. A recent survey has shown that the stealing of articles orgoods is predominantly based on opportunism. Such survey showed thatunauthorised removal of articles or goods was carried out in a ratio ofopportunists to hardened criminals of 80%:20%.

One situation in which unauthorised removal of articles or goods havetaken place is in buildings such as parcel distribution centres,warehouses, storage depots, department stores and like buildings. Insuch locations articles or goods, suitably in the form of parcels, areconstantly transported throughout the buildings. During suchtransportation, it has been discovered that certain parcels have beenstolen. In such situation, it is often difficult to catch the thief,particularly when there are a large number of employees operating in thebuilding concerned. In addition to pilfering of articles or goods, incertain circumstances, vandalism has been a problem with the articles orgoods not having been stolen but, rather, damaged instead.

Another situation in which unauthorised removal of articles or goodshave taken place is in connection with robbery of articles or goods frompremises or vehicles. Such unauthorised removal is an increasing problemand it is often difficult for authorities to convict a thief or burglarsince it not always possible to prove that the thief or burglar waspresent at a particular robbery.

Various types of chemicals have been considered for application to thesurface of an article, goods or premises. A composition utilising adyestuff has been proposed, but same is not considered appropriate sincethe dye can be seen on the article, goods or premises. Another priorarrangment relates to the use of a fluorescent material dispersed in acarrier. The solid fluorescent material is dispersed in a grease and isthen smeared onto surfaces or articles liable to unwanted attention. Thedisadvantages of such arrangement is that the material when applied isgreasy or slippy to the touch, and that same is granular because ofundissolved particles present therein. Accordingly, the presentinvention is based on the provision of a composition and method whereby,when such composition is applied to a surface, same cannot be seen;however, when a person touches such surface then that person can beidentified.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a composition andmethod for reducing unauthorised removal of, or damage to, articles orgoods or for preventing damage to property.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compositionand method whereby, when the composition has been applied to a surface,any person who touches such surface can be identified.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a compositionand method for use in buildings and/or premises or with vehicles,wherein said composition is utilised in a sprinkler or like spraysystem, for identifying the thief or burglar.

According to the present invention there is provided a composition forpreventing unauthorised removal of or damage to articles or goods fromvehicles, buildings and/or premises or for preventing damage topremises, said composition being colourless, odourless and having nofeel thereto, and thereby being undetectable, said compositioncomprising at least one fluorescent material together with a solventmedium therefor, said medium containing a volatile component saidcomposition, in use, being applied to at least a portion of the surfaceof such articles or goods or container therefor, or at least a portionof the surface of a property or surrounding area, whereby in use, whenthe articles or goods have been stolen or damaged, or the propertydamaged, the fluorescent material is transferred to the personconcerned, which person can then be identified by the use of a UV-lightemitting means.

Also according to the present invention there is provided a method forpreventing unauthorised removal of or damage to articles or goods fromvehicles, buildings and/or premises, or for preventing damage topremises, comprising applying to at least a portion of the surface ofsaid articles or goods, or at least a portion of a property orsurrounding area, or storing ready for application to said surfaces, acomposition according to the invention, whereby when the articles orgoods have been stolen or damaged, or the property damaged, thefluorescent material(s) contained in such composition is/are transferredto the person involved, which person can then be identified by the useof UV-light.

Said composition may further include one or more trace elements whichcan be changed on a batch basis thereby permitting different batches tobe selectively identified, and thereby negating any defence ofaccidental contact on previous occasions.

The composition can include one or more of any suitable fluorescentmaterials. However, it has been found that coumarin, oxazinone, andstilbene derivatives are preferred, but fluorescein derivatives can alsobe utilised.

It is possible to utilise coumarin derivatives, preferably7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin or 7-diethylamino-4-methyl coumarin.Fluorescein derivatives, preferably sodium fluorescein are alsoutilisable.

It is possible to utilise a fluorescent material which when exposed toUV light fluoresces in a particular colour, each particular fluorescentmaterial being selected for a particular customer, so that when thecomposition containing the selected fluorescent material is applied to asurface of articles or goods, then any unauthorised removal of sucharticles or goods can be linked back to the particular customer as thesource of goods. This is of use when a thief or burglar is apprehendedand the fluorescent material which was transferred to the thief orburglar is identified by the use of UV-light thereby linking the thiefor burglar with a particular location.

It is further possible to utilise a combination of two fluorescentmaterials having differing max absorption or emission frequencies. It ispossible to identify said two materials by utilising a UV-absorptionspectrum or a fluorescent emission spectrum. Accordingly, suchcombination of fluorescent materials, when applied to a surface ofarticles or goods and when transferred to a thief or burglar, canpositively link the thief or burglar with a particular location, with nochance of a pleading by the thief or burglar that he had picked up ortouched fluorescent material accidentally or innocently.

The fluorescent material is preferably utilised in spray form and can becombined with various solvent systems and surfactants. The fluorescentmaterial is suitably present in an amount of 0.1 to 40% by weight of thecomposition.

The solvent medium preferably comprises a mixture of volatile andnon-volatile solvents. The volatile solvent is preferably a low boilingalcohol, preferably isopropyl alcohol or t-butanol. The non-volatilesolvent is preferably isopropyl myristate or glycerol trioleate.

In the case of an aerosol, the composition will also include apropellant, suitably butane and suitably one or more surfactants. Thesurfactant is preferably polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol.

A preferred composition for use in the invention comprises a mixture ofa fluorescent material together with isopropyl alcohol as the volatilesolvent and isopropyl myristate as the non-volatile solvent. Whenapplied in spray form the isopropyl alcohol evaporates leaving a film offluorescent material and isopropyl myristate applied to a selectedsurface.

It is believed that such combination of solvents is effective either, asthe isopropyl alcohol evaporates the fluorescent material becomessupersaturated in the isopropyl myristate layer, or as the isopropylalcohol evaporates the fluorescent material comes out of solution in amirocrystalline state due to the cooling effects of the evaporatingisopropyl alcohol. In either event, a substantial amount of fluorescent,material is present in a very thin layer which cannot be felt, seen orsmelt.

Furthermore, when using isopropyl myristate any discolouring oryellowing of the fluorescent material is prevented. Such yellowing isbelieved due to a photocyclodinerisation reaction of the fluorescentmaterial which is less pronounced in the low polarity long chainisopropyl myristate which is used to the composition of the invention.

A preferred aerosol composition comprises 0.5 gm of fluorescentmaterial, 2.5 gm of isopropyl myristate and 12 ml of isopropyl alcoholin a 150 ml aerosol can. Such composition stays active on the materialto which it is applied.

In an embodiment of the invention, the composition is appliedimmediately prior to an article, such as a dummy parcel, passing througha particular section of a department store or warehouse. The compositionis suitably in aerosol form and can be sprayed onto the dummy parcel. Insuch case, the composition applied to the dummy parcel would beundetectable by sight, touch or smell.

Should the dummy parcel be stolen or be damaged then the employees couldbe brought together and then the hands of each person in turn would bescanned by UV-light. The thief or vandal would have fluorescent materialon his or her hands or clothing and could be so identified.

It can thus be seen that, by utilising the composition and method of thepresent invention, a thief and/or vandal can be identified. Thefluorescent material of the composition of the present invention willremain on the fingers of the thief or vandal after the article or goodshave been removed and possibly hidden, whereas previously such would nothave been the case.

The composition and method of the present invention can be applied inany situation wherein unauthorised removal of or damage to, an articlemay take place, for example, in the case of transport of goods by motorvehicle, train or aeroplane.

In such situations, it is preferable to use the fluorescent materialutilised in the composition of the invention in sprinkler systemsemployed in vehicles used for moving articles or goods and in premisesfor storing or displaying articles or goods.

When such sprinkler system is utilised in premises, the sprinkler systemis operated by a burglar alarm and when activated the articles or goodsin such premises in store or on display are sprayed with the fluorescentmaterial as would be any personnel involved in the burglary.

A similar sprinkler system could be utilised with vehicles, particularlyroad vehicles, and be activated by unauthorised entry into the vehicle.

The fluorescent material used in such sprinkler systems can be waterbased either as a solution or as a suspension. The solutions preferablycomprises fluorescein derivatives, coumarin derivatives or diaminostilbene disulphonic acid derivatives at 0.1-20% solutions in thepresence of a polymer latex. The suspension preferably comprises anoxazinone derivative of 0.1-20% in aqueous suspension stabilised byanionic surfactants and in the presence of a polymer latex.

The polymer latex is chosen so that it becomes water insoluble ondrying, possibly through some type of cross linking mechanism to whichend a cross-linking agent may also be added. Trace elements may be usedwhich would normally be water soluble but are held in place by thepolymer matrix. Different polymers may also be used and identifiedsubsequently and therefore also act as `trace elements`. Polymercombinations may also be used and it can thus be seen that a vast rangeof permutations are available through this and by varying the traceelement.

The composition and method of the present invention would suitably beutilised accompanied by warning notices etc., to indicate to anypotential thief and/or vandal that the person who removes a particularparcel can be identified.

Any suitable UV-light emitting means can be utilised in the presentinvention.

Whilst specific reference has been made to a thief and/or vandal, it isclear that the composition and method of the invention can also be usedin identifying a person involved in certain criminal activities. Also,warning notices could also be provided to indicate to any potentialcriminal that crime prevention measures are in place and that thecriminal may be identified.

I claim:
 1. A method for detecting tampering, comprising applying to atleast a portion of a surface of an object a composition comprising atleast one fluorescent material and a solvent medium therefor, saidsolvent medium containing a volatile solvent and said composition beingcolorless, odorless and having no feel thereto upon application as afilm to the surface of said object, and being capable of transfer fromthe surface of said object to another surface, anddirectly transferringsaid composition from said object to a person tampering therewith.
 2. Amethod as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tampering comprisesunauthorized entering of a property or vehicle.
 3. A method as claimedin claim 1, additionally comprising detecting said composition on theperson by irradiation with a source of ultraviolet light.
 4. A method asclaimed in claim 1, additionally comprising preparing individual batchesof said composition, each including one or more trace elements as anidentifier of the batch.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidat least one fluorescent material comprises first and second fluorescentmaterials having differing max absorption or emission frequencies.
 6. Amethod as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one fluorescentmaterial comprises a fluorescent material selected from the groupconsisting of coumarin, oxazinone, stilbene and fluorescein compounds.7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the coumarin compound isselected from the group consisting of 7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin and7-diethylamino-4-methyl coumarin.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 1,wherein said at least one fluorescent material is present in an amountof 0.1 to 40% by weight of the composition.
 9. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the fluorescent material fluoresces at a selectedcolor.
 10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluorescentmaterial is applied in spray form.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 10,wherein the solvent medium comprises a mixture of volatile andnon-volatile solvents.
 12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein thevolatile solvent is an alcohol.
 13. A method as claimed in claim 12,wherein the volatile solvent is isopropyl alcohol.
 14. A method asclaimed in claim 11, wherein the non-volatile solvent is isopropylmyristate.
 15. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the compositionadditionally comprises a propellant to enable applying in aerosol form.16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the composition is a waterbased solution or suspension.
 17. A method as claimed in claim 16,wherein the composition comprises a solution of a fluorescein compoundor a diamino stilbene disulphonic acid compound in an amount of 0.1 to20% by weight in a polymer latex.
 18. A method as claimed in claim 16,wherein the composition is a suspension comprising an oxazinone compoundat a level of 0.1 to 20% by weight stabilized by an anionic surfactant,and in the presence of a polymer latex.
 19. A method as claimed in claim1, wherein the composition additionally comprises a surfactant.
 20. Amethod as claimed in claim 19, wherein the surfactant is polyethyleneglycol or polypropylene glycol.
 21. A composition for detectingtampering comprising 0.1 to 20% of a fluorescent oxazinone compound inaqueous suspension stabilized by an anionic surfactant and in thepresence of a polymer latex, said composition being colorless, odorlessand having no feel thereto, and being capable of transfer from onesurface to another.